The Bay Area and Santa Rosa in particular is hosting the 35th anniversary of the American Freedom Train and its volunteer crew. Doyle McCormick and many hours who were part of the crew are in the Bay Area this weekend for railroad related activities and a banquet Sunday night at a Santa Rosa Hotel. Among the activities is a ride on the Napa Valley Wine Train and a special trip this Sunday on the last link of the historic Transcontinental Railroad on Niles Canyon Railway between Niles and Sunol. The Freedom Train was toured the the U.S. during 1975-76 s part of the U.S. Bicentennial Celebration and was a rolling museum on rails pulled by the Art-Deco Southern Pacific Daylight Steam engine #4449. The 22 car train visited San Francisco and was on display at Crissy Field in the Presidio in December, 1975. The train contained displays and artifacts of 200 years of US history including an original copy of the Declaration of the Independence. I was part of the California Volunteer Crew. More on the Freedom Train can be found at: [www.freedomtrain.org]
American Freedom Train Crew Reunions
www.freedomtrain.org No doubt about it, if you were involved with the American Freedom Train -- even for a little while -- it left and indelible mark on your life. It's fitting that you reunite with others that shared part of your experience. Mike Mangini, an American Freedom Train Volunteer Crew Member and the former Long time Executive Director and General Manager of the Golden Gate Railroad Museum took the next step after the AFT left town. It was during this period that he formed "Project 2472" and recruited interested volunteers, including myself to restore the engine. It was Mike Mangini who convinced the officials at the San Mateo Fairgrounds that the engine should be preserved and restored for all of the Bay Area to enjoy. Without his efforts , the engine would most likely be 180 tons of rust in the fairgrounds at San Mateo.